


Picking Up the Pieces

by aramelly



Series: Second Chances [3]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: M/M, More tags to be added as story progresses, Rehab, Sequel, mentions of drug use, more like three-quel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:13:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24148759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aramelly/pseuds/aramelly
Summary: [Part 3 of 3]Bill's back from rehab, and the Pines twins are preparing for their college graduation in the spring.  Unfinished business brings Dipper and Bill back together, though neither are the same people they were a year ago.  They lead separate lives, better off without each other, though vastly unfulfilled.Now all that's left is to figure out where they stand.
Relationships: Bill Cipher/Dipper Pines
Series: Second Chances [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1453156
Comments: 27
Kudos: 38





	Picking Up the Pieces

**Author's Note:**

> **WAIT! Before you begin this fanfic: I HIGHLY recommend that you read the previous two stories in this series (Starting Over & Falling Apart) since this is the third and final part of my Second Chances series and heavily references events from those two fanfics (as well as includes spoilers!). If you do decide to read this anyway, please be aware that certain things that happen might not make sense, as this piece relies heavily on the other two!**
> 
> Regardless, I hope you all enjoy. I apologize for how long it’s taken me to get the ball rolling on this one. I was flat out uninspired and had no idea how to begin. I’ve decided to try and be less perfectionistic and allow the story to unfold as it comes to me. I may ask you all for some ideas if I get stuck.

_“I’m breaking up with you,” Dipper announced, stepping back from Bill’s bedside._

_The all-too cliché ‘knife to the heart’ comparison came to mind, but it was devastatingly accurate in this moment as a kind of pain that no amount of morphine would ever take away sank heavily into his bones. “What am I supposed to do...?” The words ‘without you’ were insinuated but unspoken, as he stared up at Dipper in disbelief._

_“You’re going to pack your things when you get released from the hospital and find somewhere else to live,” the brunette stated matter-of-factly. “You’re going to go on without me.”_

_“Don’t do this…”_

_“I have to,” Dipper insisted. He knew deep down he was making the right choice. “I won’t keep letting you hurt me.” He backed away from the bed, putting both literal and figurative distance between himself and Bill, regardless of how much it pained him to do so. “Goodbye, Bill.”_

* * *

**_One Year Later_ **

Bill couldn’t help himself; the excitement buzzing through his veins made sleep impossible. A quick check of the alarm clock next to his bed confirmed that it was 4am - not _quite_ time yet, but close enough. He threw the sheets off of his restless form, the soles of his feet planting themselves on the scratchy carpet as he decided to bag the idea of sleeping - there would be enough time for that during the ten hour flight to the west coast. 

He flicked on the bedside lamp, painting the otherwise dark room a dull orange. It wasn’t ideal, but it provided enough light for him to maneuver around without disturbing his roommate. He hauled the already overstuffed suitcase up onto the mattress and double checked that he wasn’t leaving anything behind. Since arriving in Miami, he’d obtained more items than he had earlier this year when he left California, which pushed the limits of the luggage’s confines. 

Despite Bill’s best efforts, the room’s other occupant - a middle-aged man with a crack habit and rap sheet of misdemeanors - shifted, half-propped up on his elbow as he surveyed the blonde. “What’re you doing up?” he asked groggily, eyes squinting as they adjusted to the dim light. 

“Today’s the day,” Bill chirped eagerly, rubbing his palms together and grinning wildly. 

“Congrats, man. You earned it.”

Bill audibly huffed, nodding his agreement. He sure as hell put all of his effort into rehab, and a nice chunk of his settlement money, too - honestly it had been worth every penny and all of the frustration he initially experienced. He’d been here in Miami for almost twice as long as he planned, thanks to a brief relapse that caused him to check himself back in less than two days after departing the facility. His original six-month stay turned into nine, but now he was in a much better place mentally and had the tools he needed to maintain his sobriety. Naturally, temptation would always be an issue, and some days were much harder than others, but now he possessed the knowledge and responsibility to deal with his problems rather than recklessly avoid them. “Good luck, Jerry. And no offense, but I hope I never see you again. At least, not under these circumstances.” He winked with his one good eye, the other orbit now fitted with an expensive prosthetic that, for the most part, was difficult to distinguish from the other.

“None taken,” Jerry said, and then, with a good-natured smile, proceeded to flip him the bird. “Get fucked, Cipher.”

Bill pulled his suitcase onto the floor, extending the handle so he could roll it behind him and returned the obscene gesture. “Trust me, I plan on it,” he laughed. Nine months of solo-hand action left him craving the real deal, but as nice as it would be to get laid again, he was hoping for something more solid as opposed to a random hookup. Now he was nearly at the end of his twenties, the age when most people settled down and started families. It definitely wasn’t something he’d given much thought to before, but the idea was starting to grow on him lately. 

“Whatever, man,” Jerry half-muttered, half-chuckled. He rolled onto his left side, back turned away from Bill, and yanked the duvet up over his shoulders. “Just turn the light out before you leave. Gotta get my beauty sleep.”

Bill took one last look at the white curtains with large palm-leaf patterns he was used to waking up to every morning before flicking the light off and exiting the room. He strolled down the hallway, passing paintings of flowers and abstract sculptures meant to soothe the patients suffering from withdrawal. As the memories of the past weeks here cemented themselves in his brain, he realized he was going to miss this place - something he never expected to feel when he first checked himself in. Over the course of nine months, he’d made significant progress in his self-improvement journey and some unexpected friends along the way: recovering addicts in various stages of their healing process and counselors who were present whenever he needed their support.

He glanced down at the polished floors kept free from dirt, then back up to the walls coated with paint the color of the vibrant summer sun. At first, it had taken a little while to learn the layout of the place, but now he knew it by heart. The center was expertly constructed to maintain a soothing atmosphere both inside and out, offering tastefully decorated common areas and neatly manicured landscaping that made it feel more like a hotel than an inpatient facility. 

“Hiya, Bill!” Before he could process what was happening, a pair of surprisingly strong arms were trapping him in a hug, forcing him to stop in his tracks. 

He laughed heartily at the sight of Leah, with her petite frame and half-shaved head. She was a fellow addict who’d been enticed by the false promises offered by heroin and cocaine, both of which had done a number on her despite only being twenty-two. “What are you doing up? Shouldn’t you be sleeping?” 

She pulled back and grinned at Bill, blue-gray eyes holding a mischievous glint to them. Oddly enough, she reminded him a little of Pyronica, though much less of an abomination and more of a troubled girl with a punk wardrobe the early 2000’s rejected. She’d been in and out of the foster care system, spending much of her adolescence roaming the streets of West Palm Beach, prostituting her body in exchange for drug money. 

Leah was the first friend he’d made here, and probably the person he’d miss the most. If anything, he viewed her like the little sister he never had - nor wanted. They’d built up a good rapport and she’d been the one to show him the ropes, helping to ease his transition. He knew almost everything about her - and vice versa - though he may have intentionally left out that he was once a millenia-old demon bent on destroying the world. Despite being insane in his previous incarnation, he was determined to have at least one friend who wasn’t savvy to the weirdness that took place a handful of summers ago in Gravity Falls.

“I just wanted to say goodbye,” she explained, sadness tinting her voice. She quickly covered it up with a smile and laugh - her typical coping mechanism. “Jesus, I remember the day you showed up here. You were a _mess_.” 

He smirked lopsidedly. “Isn’t everyone on their first day?” 

“True.” She leaned back to look up at his face, studying it carefully as though she was worried she’d forget it. “Promise me you’ll keep in touch?” 

“Pinky swear.” He extended his little finger and she took it in her own, officially binding their agreement.

“I’m gonna hold you to it,” Leah said, raising one eyebrow challengingly. Bill knew her well enough to be able to tell that she meant it. “Call me when you land in Cali. Maybe I’ll come visit you when I get out of here myself.” 

“That would be fucking awesome.” He could just imagine the great time they’d have outside the limitations of the facility and all of the places he’d show her: Chinatown in Downtown Oakland, the Golden Gate bridge just across the bay, Alcatraz, and the endless assortment of restaurants and museums and tourist attractions lining the coast. “I can’t wait. You’re going to love it.” Not only would they get to spend time together, but he’d be able to keep her out of harm’s way and make sure she stayed clean.

“I’m definitely looking forward to it,” she said, walking backwards to her assigned room, “but anyway - bye again, at least for now. And good luck!” 

He waved at her and she returned it just before rounding a corner and disappearing from sight. If anything, Leah never failed to brighten his day. He wished he could bring her along, but for now, this was the best place for her until she could get better. 

At the end of the hallway, Bill found Tanya and Leo - his assigned counselors - chatting in one of the vacant offices. They stopped mid-sentence upon seeing him, putting the conversation on hold to farewell him with hugs and praise. They were only a small part of a larger, dedicated support system designed to aid him through his recovery, but they’d provided him with invaluable wisdom along the way. 

“Listen Cipher, I don’t wanna see your ass back in here, okay?” Tonya chided. She was five-foot-seven with a tough love approach, which took a while to grow on him, but now he found it endearing. 

“I’ll do my best, T,” he promised, patting her on the back with his free arm and nodding his reassurance. 

“You know how to reach us if you ever need help,” said Leo, waving his cell phone out in front of his sweater-clad chest. “We’re always just a call away.”

“Now get going. You don’t wanna miss your flight,” Tonya nodded towards Bill, several loose braids brushing across her shoulder. 

He took a seat in the lobby, waiting patiently until an iconic yellow taxicab pulled up to the curb out front. Pushing past the glass doors, he stepped out into the overcast morning with his suitcase in tow, feelings of pride and sadness washing over him as he took one last look at the place he’d called home for the better part of a year now.

* * *

It wasn’t until he was strapped into his seat 30,000 feet above the ground that his mind began replaying events of the past year. He glanced out his window seat, watching the early morning sunlight reflect beautifully off the wing of the plane, its sharp, angled metal cutting smoothly through the atmosphere.

So much had changed in his life since last December - things he never could have imagined. His thoughts turned to Dipper for the first time in a long while. He never intended for his life to spiral so vastly out of control, leaving him with such deep physical and emotional scars. All thanks to a series of stupid mistakes that led to a pregnancy scare and harsh split from the only person he ever loved. 

This time, he ultimately had the free will to take control of his life and this time, he chose sobriety. 

* * *

Dipper sat in a vacant booth, waiting for Mabel to finish her shift and checking to see if his final grades had been posted for what had to be the thirteenth time. Still nothing. Granted, classes had only ended a day ago, but that didn’t prevent his anxiety from flaring up. The results for this semester were especially nerve-wracking since he barely skated by in his bioethics course, and he knew it would pull his GPA down a few points. 

Mabel seemed to take a more nonchalant approach with her grades, shrugging when she earned a ‘C’ on a test and brushing it off. She’d always been that way and managed to pass every single time. Meanwhile, Dipper busted his ass to soak up every ounce of the material spouted from the professor’s mouth during 9am lecture halls and taking detailed notes of the material - meticulously organized by date and subject matter. 

He set his phone down on the polished tabletop and let his eyes drift over his surroundings, making note of the classic atmosphere with modern elements sprinkled throughout. Shortly after the fall semester began, his twin landed a part-time waitressing job at a restaurant-slash-bakery a few streets from the UC Berkeley campus. While it wasn’t a forever job, at least she’d be able to garner experience while putting her social skills and bubbly personality to good use. She’d only been working here for the past three months, but already knew the menu by heart — save for the specials board that changed on a daily basis. Her charm had already worked wonders attaining new friends, with most of her coworkers considering her a part of their little family.

A few minutes passed before Mabel emerged from the kitchen, plate in hand, her long hair pulled back in a bright yellow scrunchie. She made her way over to where her little brother sat, and, without a word, she slid the plate towards him and pulled two forks from the front pocket of her flashy red apron. In front of Dipper sat an overly generous helping of warm apple pie topped with a small mountain of whipped cream. 

“Shit Mabel, you’re killing me.” Hands down, this joint served some of the best pies in the Bay Area, making it a hot spot for tourists and hungry college students. 

“Gotta get as much use out of my employee discount as I can,” she winked. This, of course, was equal parts good and bad, considering how much half-priced pie Mabel ferried his way. 

“As long as you’re helping me eat it,” he said, grateful they were splitting the slice or he’d really hate himself later. 

“I’m totally treating myself to a bubble bath when I get home,” she groaned, feet throbbing within the confines of her non-slip shoes. She sank into the vinyl backrest, thanking the heavens she wasn’t scheduled for a double shift today and dug into the sugary dessert. 

“Sounds nice.”

“Ugh, you have no idea,” Mabel said, stuffing her face with equal amounts of crust and filling. “You have any plans for tonight?” she asked, chipmunking what was left in her mouth so it didn’t spray out in her brother’s direction. 

“Nope,” Dipper admitted, gathering stray apple slices onto his fork and popping them into his mouth. The highlight of his evening would be washing the pile of dishes he hadn’t gotten to earlier this week and passing out in his bed before 8pm. 

Mabel rolled her eyes, finding her brother’s routine so astoundingly _boring_. Honestly, if she weren’t exhausted from work, she’d be going out with friends and having a good time. “You know, there’s a cute girl in my media and politics class. I could set you up with her…” 

“I dunno, Mabel…” 

“C’mon, Dipper,” she urged. “I know what happened with Lindsey, but you should try to get back out there.” 

“What’s the point?” he muttered flatly, eyes shifting from his sister’s face down to his obscured reflection on the table’s surface. “Never seems to end well.” 

“That doesn’t mean you should give up trying,” she continued. It sucked seeing him in a rut like this, especially since she only wanted what was best for him. Dipper was too serious most of the time, unable to put his worries aside and just relax.

In truth, Dipper was feeling more than pessimistic when it came to his love life lately. After Bill, he continued trying to open up to people, though he had a difficult time letting his guard down and quickly developed an unhealthy fear of his partners cheating on him. That insecurity sabotaged two relationships over the past seven months: Ryan, who was more of a friends-with-benefits than an actual boyfriend, and Lindsey... the latter relationship had much more serious implications. She was wonderful - perhaps even marriage material - but Dipper just couldn’t trust her no matter how much he wanted to and ended it abruptly. 

For now, he was content with being single, dedicating himself to his studies and spending more quality time with Mabel. 

He glanced to his right, out the window where the streets of Oakland were bustling with shoppers looking for last-minute gifts for their loved ones. He tried to prevent memories of the previous year from surfacing in his mind, since reliving everything that happened only brought him pain. He hadn’t heard from Bill since the day they broke up, and now the one year anniversary of the car crash was quickly approaching.

The front bell sounded as a group of customers piled in, chattering excitedly. The twins glanced at them briefly, with Mabel offering a polite smile. “I’m so glad we have a whole month off,” Mabel chirped, eager to shift the conversation to a more positive one. 

“Me too,” Dipper agreed calmly. He really needed it after this semester, which had been a rough go. A repose from cataloguing books by call number and dealing with pushy students would do him well, even though the holidays weren’t shaping up to be anything special this year. He hadn’t done any decorating apart from the tree, and that was only because he felt obligated to, not because he wanted to feel festive. Mabel, however, was the epitome of holiday cheer, orchestrating a work Christmas party on the 23rd and keeping her car’s radio tuned to the stations heavily rotating through the classics.

“And there’s only 147 days left until graduation,” she announced. She’d been keeping a digital countdown on her phone to refer to, blurting out how long they had left on a daily basis. Each day that passed by was one closer to an exciting new chapter of their lives.

“Shit.” It sounded like a long time, but it would be here before they knew it. In truth, Dipper felt unprepared for such a huge milestone, especially one that marked the transition from student life to the real world - something they’d only gotten a taste of thus far. 

“Do you think mom and dad will be there?” Mabel set her elbow on the table, resting her head on her upturned palm. They’d missed the twins’ high school graduation due to ‘work obligations’, which more than likely meant ‘general disinterest’ when it came to being crammed in an auditorium with other overenthusiastic parents. 

“For you? Probably,” Dipper shrugged. “Their disappointment of a son is another story.” 

“You know that’s not true, right? You’ve never been a disappointment to me.” 

Dipper nodded solemnly. “I know, Mabes, but that’s how they see me now.” Their closed-minded opinions had always been a source of tension in the family, but never to this extent. “I wish I never came out to them.” 

“It’s okay, Dipper,” she cooed, reaching around the plate to pat his arm. “You can’t change what happened.” 

“Yeah, but if I could erase the past twelve months, I _definitely_ would.” To say he regretted what transpired was a gross understatement. He was silent for a moment, recounting all the ways his life had gone wrong, when he saw his phone light up out of the corner of his eye. He reached for it to find a new text message, nearly choking when he saw who it was from. “ _Fuck_.”

Dipper’s reaction immediately piqued Mabel’s interest, who froze with the fork raised mid-way towards her mouth. “What? Who is it?”

Instead of replying, Dipper turned the screen towards Mabel to read for herself.

_I’d like to pick up my stuff. What time works for you?_

“Bill?” Mabel asked incredulously, causing Dipper to tense at the sound of his name. 

He was extremely tempted to type back “fuck-you-o’clock”, but instead chose to keep things as civil as possible. _I’ll be home tomorrow. 2pm_. He replied briskly, sending the text before he really had time to think it over.

Bill’s next text was a simple: _Need the address._ Nothing more, nothing less - in fact, it came off a bit cold, not that Dipper would’ve expected anything else, given how things had ended between them. 

“Do you want me to come over in case things don’t go well?” Mabel asked, deep concern coating her words. She wasn’t fond of the idea of Dipper being alone with the man who’d brought him so much pain. As much as she promoted peace and love, she’d kick his ass into next Tuesday if he did anything to hurt him again. 

“No, I think I can handle it,” Dipper said, shaking his head slightly. The words were more of an attempt to console himself rather than Mabel. “But thanks. I appreciate it.”

“Of course, bro. I’ve always got your back.” She smiled warmly, placing her hand on his wrist. “Let me take this back and then we’ll get going, okie dokie?” She moved the dirty plate and utensils out of the way, running them to the kitchen for one of her coworkers to deal with and then the twins left the restaurant together, just as they did most nights. It was easier to carpool to school and work, and gave them time to talk about any and everything while stuck in traffic. Dipper still had some reservations when it came to driving, but Mabel did her best to reassure him as she always did, knowing exactly what to say to ease his worry. 

When she pulled up to the curb outside of his apartment complex, she all but demanded a hug before he got out of the car, refusing to unlock the door unless he obliged. “I love you, Dippy eggs. And remember, I’m always here if you need me,” she said, pulling away to smile at him and plant a kiss on his cheek which quickly turned into a wet raspberry. 

“Ew, Mabel!” he screeched, wiping at his face while she laughed in the driver’s seat. 

“Heh. Night, Dipper.” 

He stepped out of the car and she pulled away, leaving him to begin the two-flight ascent up to his unit. Without his sister to distract him, Dipper began feeling a mild panic setting in at the prospect of what tomorrow would hold, culminating into the beginnings of a full-blown attack by the time he reached his door. He drew in shaky breaths, fumbling with the key before finally undoing the lock and stepping inside. 

In less than 24 hours, he was going to come face-to-face with someone he never expected to see again.

**Author's Note:**

> I always have difficulties writing the first chapters of fanfics and I’m never satisfied with them, this one included. It was also harder this time around because I haven’t been particularly inspired for Gravity Falls lately — the reason it took me so long to get this written. It’s also not as long as I would like but it’s all my brain could come up with unfortunately :/ 
> 
> I really appreciate the patience you’ve all had for me. I never imagined last year that my first GF story would spawn two sequels, but here we are! Lots of love has gone into this series, so I hope to do it justice and wrap it up in a way that’s satisfying for everyone. I also apologize if this first bit isn't up to my usual quality - hopefully as the story progresses I'll get more inspired along the way.


End file.
